Flappy Bird no longer available from the App Store or Google Play
Oh no! We sure hope you were able to download Flappy Bird before its imminent extinction. Because, as promised, developer Dong Nguyen has officially removed the insanely popular game from both the App Store and Google Play. There’s no need to shed tears if you’ve already installed it, since you can still play it and continue to frustrate over how terribly low your scores are. Even so, it’s a little sad to see Flappy Bird go — especially given that there are probably some people (like this editor’s mom) who never got to experience it. Who knows, maybe it’ll make a triumphant comeback one day.
Filed under: Misc, Gaming, Internet, Apple
Via: MacRumors
Flappy Bird faces imminent extinction
Flappy Bird went from obscurity to chart-topping success overnight, but that’s all coming to an end. After over 50 million downloads, developer Dong Nguyen said on Twitter that he’s going to take the incredibly tough game down tomorrow… and probably not for the reasons you’d expect.
It’s not because of any legal pressure. It’s not because he sold for some hefty sum. It’s not even because he’s tired of making games. Nguyen said Flappy Bird will cease to be simply because he just “cannot take this anymore”. What exactly he means by that is unclear, but going off an earlier tweet it looks like Nguyen has grown weary of all the attention he’s been getting lately. Who could blame him for shunning the spotlight? He created the app in just a few days in 2013 and it languished before exploding in popularity a few weeks back.
The suddenness of the move prompted some to wonder if this is actually some strange publicity stunt. After all, Nguyen told The Verge just a few days ago that he was mulling over a Flappy Bird sequel, and an official Windows Phone version was in the works. Oh, and it’s a little hard to fathom a one-man app studio walking away from $50,000 in daily ad revenue.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Twitter
Blizzard to fund competitive gaming at the college level
The world of competitive gaming revolves around young players, but it’s not always easy for them to participate — many of them are college students without the resources to host large tournaments. They’ll soon get a helping hand from Blizzard, however. The StarCraft II developer is now promising support for college gaming groups that are part of the The eSports Association (TeSPA); as groups get larger, Blizzard will offer increasing amounts of cash, in-game bonuses and promo material. Groups with over 200 members will even get special guests. While the move is no doubt meant to sell more games, it could also create a stronger eSports community that nurtures rookies until they’re ready to hit the big leagues.
[Image credit: Glenn Batuyong, Flickr]
Filed under: Gaming
Via: The Daily Dot
Source: Activision, TeSPA
With Xbox, you can enjoy Bonnaroo from your couch
Can’t make it out to Tennessee this June to catch the concerts at Bonnaroo? If you have an Xbox, you won’t have to. A new Bonnaroo app will let you watch the music festival through your console. There will be multiple streams from the four-day show, and you’ll get to socialize with other virtual attendees. You also won’t have to wait until the spring to get a taste of the experience — Bonnaroo will use its Xbox app to announce its artist lineup on February 19th. The internet feed likely won’t have dedicated fans staying at home, but it may be just the ticket for music lovers who’d rather not deal with the crowds.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: Xbox Wire
EA Sports’ 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil won’t be coming to Xbox One or PlayStation 4
As is the case every four years, FIFA’s biggest football competition is about to take place. To celebrate the 2014 tournament, which will be played in Brazil, EA Sports is releasing a title to give fans a chance to virtually experience the World Cup on gaming consoles. While the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil title will be available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, we were surprised to find out that EA Sports won’t be bringing it to their next-gen revisions, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Here’s what the game’s Lead Producer, Mat Prior, told us:
When we made the decision we considered a number of factors but most importantly we wanted to create the best game we could that could reach as many people as possible and the way to do that was make our best game yet on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. We gave our team the mandate of setting a laser focus on building the highest quality game for X360 and PS3 they could, and that’s exactly what they are doing.
The news will likely disappoint the hardcore football folk, as they were probably looking forward to playing this year’s World Cup game on their shiny new Xbox One or PS4. Not all is lost, however: “We will have a range of engaging content within FIFA 14 Ultimate Team so that fans on the new generation of consoles can experience the World Cup in fun and unique ways,” an EA Sports representative said to Engadget. Meanwhile, on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil will be sold as a full, standalone title for $60 — this is different than what EA did with UEFA Euro 2012, which was a $20 DLC release through FIFA 12. So, what are your thoughts? Definitely let us know in the comments below.
Source: EA Sports (1), (2)
Call of Duty moves to a three-studio rotation to keep up the quality
Many gamers are frustrated with publishers that like to release franchise sequels every one to two years, regardless of the quality — just ask the Battlefield 4 players still grappling with bugs. Activision is clearly aware of the problem, however. It just announced that Modern Warfare 3 creator Sledgehammer Games will become the third studio regularly producing Call of Duty titles, joining Infinity Ward and Treyarch. The new rotation gives each developer three years to finish a COD game instead of two; they’ll have “more time to polish” without interrupting the yearly release cycle, according to publishing chief Eric Hirshberg. The addition won’t please those who’d rather see more original games, but it’s good news for fans worried that Activision might cut corners to ship its first-person shooters on time.
Source: Joystiq
Experience life as an England rugby player with an Oculus Rift, nine GoPros and zero bruises
The Oculus Rift’s impact on gaming is obvious, but it’s not hard to imagine how the virtual reality headset could change how we consume home entertainment as a whole. UK mobile network O2 and the England rugby team know this, and have collaborated to create an immersive experience to prove it. Recorded using nine GoPro Hero 3 cameras on a custom gimble, the footage sees you on the training pitch with the team, where you get stuck right in the middle of the action, and burpee along, right next to the players. While this is mostly part of a broader promotion for the sport’s 6-nations tournament in Europe, you can bet your bottom 100 cents that we’re going to see a lot more of these “experiences” going forward. We’re getting the hairdryer out for the inevitable skydive one already.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment
Amazon acquires Double Helix, the games studio behind the latest Killer Instinct
Leaked through a joint recruiting event between Amazon and Double Helix, Amazon has acquired the games studio, reportedly in a bid to grab both talent and IP. The studio is best known for its Killer Instinct remake, although it also includes less luminary titles like G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. (It’s worth noting that Killer Instinct will be published by Microsoft Studios as an Xbox One exclusive.) Incoming games include a remake of Strider — a series that first made its debut back in 1989. Amazon released a statement confirming the deal:
“Amazon has acquired Double Helix as part of our ongoing commitment to build innovate games for customers.”
The announcement adds extra weight to recent rumors that Amazon might even get into the games console business — it certainly doesn’t hurt them.
Source: Techcrunch
Gaming deals of the week: 2.5.14
For those folks out to nab up a bit of fun this week, we’ve compiled a few gaming deals that will certainly lend a hand. From the latest Call of Duty installment to a 17-inch gaming laptop, we’ve got a variety of picks to suit a range of gamer sensibilities. Browse the options we’ve selected just past the break.
Just window shopping? No worries. Join us and add the gadgets you’re shopping for to your Want list; every time there’s a price cut in the future, you’ll get an email alert!
Alienware 17
Price: $1,600
Regular Price: $1,800
Engadget Score: 87
Buy: Amazon
We gave the Alienware 17 high marks for its gaming performance, solid keyboard/trackpad and build quality. What didn’t we like? Well, we found this 17-incher to only last about three hours into a Battlefield 4 marathon before needing a charge. See for yourself how this beast matches up with the best gaming laptops available with our compare tool.
Nintendo 3DS XL
Price: $170
Regular Price: $200
Engadget Global Score: 82
Buy: Amazon
Nintendo outed the larger version of its 3DS handheld back in 2012, and now it’s now available at $30 less than original sticker price — if you don’t mind the red/black color scheme. The larger screen is the key feature here, but the in-hand feel and improved battery life (under certain conditions) are also welcome improvements. According to our price drop tool, the $170 price tag is on par with the 90-day low for the most part. Want to hold out for a bit? You can keep an eye on the 3DS XL to save a few more bucks by adding it to your Want list.
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Price: $39-$40
Regular Price: $50
Buy: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and PC
Released back in November ahead of the new console launches, the latest installment of the CoD franchise dropped $11 on Xbox 360 and PS3 — one dollar less than the PC and Wii U options. Our pals over at Joystiq gave the title 3.5 out of 5 stars (PS4 version).
Ion iCade Core
Price: $13
Regular Price: $100
Engadget Global Score: 84
Buy: Provantage
How about an arcade-like feel for your iOS gaming exploits? Ion’s iCade Core can do just that. The device doesn’t have the retro stylings of the first-gen iCade, but we were quite pleased to find that it worked as advertised. Of course, a modest $13 investment is a minimal risk to give the device a shot. This price is consistent with the lowest we’ve seen in the last three months, thanks to our trusty price drop tool.
Filed under: Gaming
Oculus to co-publish EVE:Valkyrie as launch title for Oculus Rift VR headset
EVE:Valkyrie is no longer just a neat proof-of-concept demo for Oculus’ prototype VR headset — it’s now an exclusive launch title. Today, Oculus announced that it’d be entering into a co-publishing agreement with developer CCP Games to make its space dogfighter one of the Rift’s first AAA “made-for-VR” games.
That Oculus would seek to back EVE:Valkyrie in this way shouldn’t come as much surprise to those following the nascent VR outfit’s saga. The two companies have had a closely intertwined relationship that reaches back to Oculus’ Kickstarter days. So when CCP revealed plans to develop the VR shooter as a standalone title within its EVE Online universe back in August of last year — previously a go-to demo for the Rift — it seemed likely the title was destined for Oculus. At the time, CCP had even mentioned 2014 as a target for the games’ commercial release, a date which coincided neatly with the same vague release window Oculus had set for a commercial launch of the Rift.
Filed under: Gaming
Source: Oculus VR
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